Southern Columbia runs away in 2nd half
Nov. 26—ALTOONA — There were two things Southern Columbia coach Jim Roth wanted to emphasize on the turf at Mansion Park after his team knocked off Bishop Guilfoyle, 42-14, in a battle of defending state champions — the Marauders in Class A and the Tigers in Class 2A.
The play of the Southern Columbia defense for holding a Guilfoyle team that averages more than 300 yards per game on the ground to less than 100 plus scoring twice more, and his offensive line for again allowing the Tigers to pound the rock when everybody at Mansion Park knew what was coming.
"It's not by chance that we played a good defensive game stopping the run. It's now three weeks in a row — Troy, Mount Carmel and Bishop Guilfoyle — we just have to try and continue that," Roth said. "I can't say enough about our running game. They know we are going to line up and run the ball, they know it (the Tigers have completed a combined two passes in the last two games). The line has done such a great job the last three weeks."
The contest with the Marauders (10-4) looked eerily similar to last week's start against Mount Carmel without the snow. The Tigers and Marauders were tied at 7-7 at the half, but Southern Columbia had dominated on the stat sheet. However, two lost fumbles and six first-half penalties cost the Tigers.
The second Southern Columbia fumble led to the Bishop Guilfoyle touchdown to tie the game late in the first half.
"First half, we were slow and sloppy," senior fullback/linebacker Wes Barnes said.
Roth added: "I think we had a little bit of an effect of the Mount Carmel game. After a big win like that, we were playing hard, but the focus and the execution, we weren't real sharp. We had a bit of hangover. You say it's a state playoff game, but it doesn't matter. Last week, was much bigger than just a district championship win."
With the score tied, to open the second half, the Tigers stuffed Guilfoyle quarterback Karson Kiesewetter for a loss and then forced the Marauders to call a timeout 55 seconds into the second half.
Kiesewetter then fumbled on the next play, and Garrett Krebs returned it 4 yards to the 20. Braeden Wisloski then took the next carry to the end zone to give the Tigers a 13-7 lead after BG's Dom Yanoshak blocked the extra point with 10:49 left in the game.
Kiesewetter and the Marauders answered with their best drive of the game running the ball. Kiesewetter's 27-yard Houdini-act in the backfield put the ball on the Tigers' 12. But Barnes popped Kiesewetter for a 3-yard loss, and after two incomplete passes, Wisloski blocked a 34-yard field goal attempt.
Southern Columbia drove to the Guilfoyle 23. Wisloski was stopped by a chain link on fourth-and-one, but the Tigers defense forced a quick three-and-out.
Southern Columbia then marched 75 yards in eight plays capped by a 5-yard TD run by Barnes with 8:10 left in the game. Tyler Arnold's 2-point run made it 21-7.
"Our long drives really took it out of them," said Barnes, who finished with 156 yards on 21 carries. "We don't feel anybody can stop our run game, right now."
Wisloski had a 43-yard run on the drive, and after being stopped for no gain on that fourth-and-one, Wisloski had 2 carries for 64 yards.
Bishop Guilfoyle surprised the Tigers on the next drive when a wrap-around draw to Cade Wyandt covered 25 yards, but Wisloski — in one smooth motion — ripped the ball from Wyandt in stride and raced 75 yards for a 28-7 lead.
Jake Toczylousky broke up a fourth-down pass in Southern territory to set up the Tigers' two-play 38-yard drive to make it 35-7 with 4:50 left in the game.
The Marauders drove to the Southern Columbia 6, but Louden Murphy picked off a pass at the 2, and picked up a block from Arnold on Kiesewetter, who tried a half-hearted poke at the ball, on his way for a 98-yard TD and a 42-7 advantage.
"I had the motion over. I was a little late getting over there, but that actually help me jump the route," said Murphy, who missed last week's win after being ejected for coming to Wisloski's aid after he was hit late out of bounds against Troy. "As soon as I got past the quarterback I knew I was scoring."
Southern Columbia (11-3) advances to face Trinity, a 35-17 winner over Executive Education. It's the Shamrocks' first appearance in the state semifinals.
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PIAA PLAYOFFS
CLASS 2A QUARTERFINAL
at Mansion Park, Altoona
SOUTHERN COLUMBIA 42,
BISHOP GUILFOYLE 14
Southern Columbia (11-3);0;7;6;29 — 42
Bishop Guilfyoyle (10-4);0;7;0;7 — 14
SCORING SUMMARY
Second quarter
SCA-Wes Barnes 1 run (Isaac Carter kick)
BG-Karson Kiesewetter 1 run (Michael Cacciotti kick)
Third quarter
SCA-Braeden Wisloski 20 run (kick blocked)
Fourth quarter
SCA-Barnes 5 run (Tyler Arnold run)
SCA-Wisloski 75 fumble return (Carter kick)
SCA-Wisloski 23 run (Carter kick)
SCA-Louden Murphy 98 interception return (Carter kick)
BG-Dom Yanoshak 35 pass from Kiesewetter (Cacciotti kick)
TEAM STATISTICS
;SCA;BG
First downs;17;13
Rushes-net yards;45-349;24-81
Passing yards;10;232
Passing;1-2-0;10-21-2
Fumbles-lost;3-2;2-2
Penalties-yards;8-67;4-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Southern Columbia: Wes Barnes 21-156, 2 TDs; Braeden Wisloski 12-118, 2 TDs; Carter Madden 6-64; Louden Murphy 3-10; Tyler Arnold 1-3; Brayden Andrews 1-(-1); team 1-(-1). Bishop Guilfoyle: Karson Kiesewetter 16-44, TD; Cade Wyandt 4-29; Cooper Rother 4-8.
PASSING — Southern Columbia: Blake Wise 1-2-0 for 10 yards. Bishop Guilfoyle: Kiesewetter 10-21-2 for 232 yards, TD.
RECEIVING — Southern Columbia: Barnes 1-10. Bishop Guilfoyle: Dom Yanoshak 4-101, TD; Rother 2-65; Hamilton Gates 2-40; Trent Adams 1-23; Wyandt 1-3.
